The purpose of the project is to study the chemical and physical properties and the biosynthesis of proteoglycans in a number of tissues. Topics of present interest include: 1) Protein chemistry of the hyaluronic acid-binding region of proteoglycans from the Swarm rat chondrosarcoma, 2) biosynthesis of the proteoglycan core protein precursor and its associated aligosaccharides and of the link protein by chondrocytes, 3) biosynthesis of proteoglycans by ovarian granulosa cells, 4) biosynthesis of proteoglycans by aortic smooth muscle cells, 5) characterization of corneal stroma proteoglycans, 6) characterization of oligosaccharides and keratan sulfate in fetal epiphyseal cartilage, 7) regulation of biosynthesis and turnover of proteoglycans in cultures of bovine articular cartilage, 8) development of highly sensitive and specific assays for hyaluronic acid.